International Alumna Represents U of A at Study Abroad Fair in Dominican Republic

A former Fulbright Scholar who studied at the U of A recently participated in a Study Abroad fair in the Dominican Republic, where she had the opportunity to talk about her experiences studying abroad with thousands of prospective students.

Walkiris Vanessa Mejia Ortega, a tenured professor at the Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, hosted a booth at a Study USA fair hosted by the country's U.S. Embassy. She shared her experiences studying at the U of A at the event, which had more than 2,000 students attend.

"The University of Arkansas is my second alma mater," she said. "For me it is always a great honor to represent it in any scenario. This is the least I could do for the institution where I received so much love and support during my stay in Fayetteville. The U of A is the place where I developed personally, academically and professionally with high quality faculty. Being an international student at the U of A was the best experience ever and a dream come true."

Ortega studied at the U of A from 2020-2022, where she earned a master's degree in curriculum and instruction. While here, she became immersed in academic and cultural activities, including the Cross-Cultural Mentor Program (CCM) and the International Culture Team (ICT), both offered through the university's Office of International Students and Scholars.

"While at the fair, I shared how wonderful my life was when I lived in Fayetteville and how my quality as a student changed being an international student," she said. "Moreover, I told them I met thousands of friends from all over, and that I became a stronger, more resilient and more independent human being."

"I also told them the education system in the United States is different from the one in the Dominican Republic," she added. "Education there is of utmost quality. In the U of A, students receive a lot of support from professors and staff. I told them about all the facilities, the resources in the library and the services the university offers. The fair was four hours, but time was short to talk about all the good things I experienced in the U of A and in Arkansas."

Ortega also worked with Andrew Van Lew, graduate and international recruitment coordinator in the Graduate School and International Education, who sent materials for the U of A for Ortega to hand out to prospective students.

"Our alumni are often our best recruiters, as our research indicates that prospective students are strongly influenced by the experiences and perspectives of fellow students," Van Lew said. "It's heartening to have alumni like Walkiris championing the U of A and speaking to the transformational opportunities available here."